Beijing airs allegations involving whistleblowing businessman living in New York as subordinates are tried for fraud in unusually open proceedings

BEIJING—The Chinese government took its campaign against an exiled businessman and critic of the Communist Party to a courtroom Friday, putting his subordinates on trial for fraud.

The proceedings marked the first time Chinese authorities officially aired allegations involving Guo Wengui, who has rattled Beijing in recent months by unleashing a torrent of colorful tales of corrupt ties between China’s business elites and some of the...